Further Server and System Improvements As we continue to address server issues, I would like to follow up on my previous announcement regarding the measures being taken to improve this situation.

With the maintenance completed on September 4, we have increased the number of concurrent connections allowed across all Worlds by roughly 60,000 users. For the time being, however, we believe it necessary to maintain login and character creation restrictions, even though they have inconvenienced many of our players.

With the exception of recently added Worlds, each World can now support 7,300 to 7,800 simultaneous logins. Further increasing this limit runs the risk of causing severe lag in all zones. We will continue monitoring server loads to ensure a stable playing environment as we move forward with our plans.

Following the increase in server capacity, we reached 325,000 simultaneous logins, and we anticipate that this number will only increase. Therefore, as our development and operations teams continue to work towards a full-scale upgrade of our servers and systems in order to accommodate more players, we will continue our suspension of digital sales of the game.

During this time, we will be monitoring connections during peak times for each data center. Once we have confirmed that all Worlds and the zones within them are stable, we will continue to monitor server loads and populations in real time as we prepare to upgrade our servers and make other extensive improvements.

The following is a general outline of our major goals to improve overall server and system stability. Specific details will be announced as soon as they are available.

1. Substantially increase the number of Worlds. 2. Create a third duty finder group to further alleviate server stress. 3. Increase the number of servers used for instances.

Even with the increased capacity of all Worlds, the number of simultaneous logins is still reaching the limit. Because increasing server capacity further would result in significant stress to individual zones, frequent restrictions on character creation have been necessary for the most heavily populated Worlds.

Furthermore, since simply adding new Worlds would heavily stress the Duty Finder system, a significant increase to the number of Worlds will be accompanied by the creation of a third Duty Finder group for each data center. We will also increase the number of servers used for instances. We believe these steps will allow for a marked increase in the number of concurrent connections our servers can maintain.

With that said, we have also noticed that many players are leaving their characters idle in game due to the login restrictions we have set in place to maintain server stability. In response to requests to address this issue, we are working to implement a feature that will automatically log out characters that are idle for a prolonged period of time.

The above improvements are scheduled to be implemented next week. We will make an announcement at the beginning of next week with further details.

4. Commence World transfer service.

In addition to our above plans to improve server stability, we will begin service for World transfers. Players who were unable to join their desired World due to character creation restrictions will now be able to move to a World of their choosing.

We realize many players would like to play together with their friends, and preparations for the World transfer service are a top priority. We are also working towards resuming digital sales for those who had planned to purchase the game but were unable to do so.

5. Begin large-scale improvements for long term operations.

Next year will see the PlayStation 4 release and another influx of players. In order to ensure the best experience for all of our customers and customers-to-be, we are carefully monitoring our operations as we continue planning extensive changes to improve the game.

Again, we sincerely apologize for any inconveniences caused by the current restrictions to logins, character creation, and digital sales. I assure you that our entire company is working tirelessly to improve your gaming experience, and we hope we can count on your continued support.

FINAL FANTASY XIV: A Realm Reborn Producer & Director Naoki Yoshida

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"The next time you have the urge to stab me in the back have the guts to do it to my face." - Malcolm Reynolds

I think that also the fading paranoia from people over 1017 is causing them to actually log out during the day. If you know you've got a pretty good shot at getting in on the first try when you get home from work, you're less inclined to be a jerk and stay logged in 24/7.

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FFXI: Catwho on Bismarck: Retired December 2014

Thayos wrote:

I can't understand anyone who skips the cutscenes of a Final Fantasy game. That's like going to Texas and not getting barbecue.

I think that also the fading paranoia from people over 1017 is causing them to actually log out during the day. If you know you've got a pretty good shot at getting in on the first try when you get home from work, you're less inclined to be a jerk and stay logged in 24/7.

^^ this. I suggested this was a catalyst before and I find myself no longer thinking about staying logged in anymore. I have not had any login issues since the maintenance and my fear of hitting the YES log in with Egg coming to a pop-up 1017 window is lessening every time. I still get a little twinge of anxiety though...

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"We're getting close, real close. And now for some more bad news... Ready?" -- Egg Shen

In addition to our above plans to improve server stability, we will begin service for World transfers. Players who were unable to join their desired World due to character creation restrictions will now be able to move to a World of their choosing.

yet they are still restricting new character creations, where are the spots for the new players going to come from on the heavily populated Worlds? And, if they are going to start letting new characters onto these heavily populated worlds, why won't they let people already on those worlds make new characters at that point? You can only play one character at a time (unless if you have multiple accounts and are a multi-boxer) so I don't see what the issue is. I have 2 characters on Ultros, there are 3 more I would like to make (yes I'm an altaholic) because that fills out the 5 characters I have always had in every MMO that I could have multiple characters in.

In addition to our above plans to improve server stability, we will begin service for World transfers. Players who were unable to join their desired World due to character creation restrictions will now be able to move to a World of their choosing.

yet they are still restricting new character creations, where are the spots for the new players going to come from on the heavily populated Worlds? And, if they are going to start letting new characters onto these heavily populated worlds, why won't they let people already on those worlds make new characters at that point? You can only play one character at a time (unless if you have multiple accounts and are a multi-boxer) so I don't see what the issue is. I have 2 characters on Ultros, there are 3 more I would like to make (yes I'm an altaholic) because that fills out the 5 characters I have always had in every MMO that I could have multiple characters in.

Edited, Sep 6th 2013 10:07am by princessary

I guess they want to ensure there is space there for characters to transfer, then once the world transfer flurry has died down they'll open up the remaining space on the servers...?

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Solomon Grundy | Born on a Monday | Excalibur Server | Abyss: Welcome to a Higher Quality of Nerding™

Hypocrite here because I'm also guilty of staying logged in while at work to guarantee getting in, but I feel like just an AFK timer based on keyboard activity won't stop anything if log-in issues continue. Players are a clever bunch, all it takes is auto-running into a wall or rubber banding your controller and your character is "active" and won't be flagged AFK.

It depends on the complexity of the script. It wouldn't be too difficult to check for location over the course of an hour. If you character has been continuously active for an hour but hasn't changed location because you are blindly running into a wall then you get the boot. I am not suggesting that they will implement such a script, but for as "clever" as players can be, programmers can be just as clever.

And I know there would be ways around that as well, but the goal would be to make it more trouble than it is worth. At some point during the escalation the players would get tired of trying to circumvent the system and just log out or take the boot.

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"On a mountain of skulls in a castle of pain, I sat on a throne of blood. What was will be, what is will be no more. Now is the season of evil!" ~Vigo the Carpathian

It's funny. But I had less issues staying in game before they did all their server updates and additions. Can't stay on more than 10-20 minutes now without getting 90k disconnects. Lots of fun when you're trying to help FC mates knock out Garuda and you d/c on the pull. Then comes the fun wait of 5-15 minutes waiting for their auto d/c kick to boot me off so I can get back on.

Glad they fixed the stuff so more people can log in and all. But my god now I'm actually frustrated.

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Cannibalism is a valid means of debate. Your opponent presents their side of the argument and you respond in kind by consuming their liver. Thus the debate ends with you having proved your point. As a boon for being such a master of the debationary arts few people will wish to confront you in such a manner in the future.